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Tag Archives: SOLC

I should be writing a daily slice for SOLC March, where bloggers are increasing their weekly slices to daily entries.
I haven’t spent much time on the internet this week so my slice covers the past 6 days. I spent all of Monday completing paperwork for solicitors (I have sold my apartment) on Tuesday I had work and after that I collated the remaining paperwork and completed my 3 forms. I had a free evening and hoped to get some writing done, but I was too tired to be inspired.

Wednesday after work I drove over to the solicitors to drop all my paperwork in and make sure they had everything they needed. Now keeping my fingers crossed that the sale will go through smoothly and quickly!

I also popped in on family on my way home and spent the evening attempting to write and catch up with some TV programmes. I also had to sort out a costume for World Book Day, the theme was fairytales but I had been told people were dressing as fairies.

In the end on Thursday I just about made it to work on time – turns out dressing as a Flower Fairy with flowers and stars in your hair takes time!

After work I went into the city to a Spoken Word event at The Ort, where I performed a set of 3 poems and watched some great acts including The Night Watch – a duo currently on tour, who play medieval music!

I had work on Friday, but it was cancelled – in the end I slept until Midday, was very tired, managed to get some writing done before appointments in the afternoon.

Mr G and I spent some time in the garden, he replanted all the strawberry plants in the new tower we bought last year.

I spent the evening writing. I had 2 poems to submit to an anthology – a charity project to help support the Born Free Foundation. I managed to submit them before midnight.

Saturday we went to see my Mum for coffee and give her the mask I had bought, then we went to the Garden Centre for compost and plant tunnels. We spent more time in the garden and had Mr G’s godchildren round.

In the evening it was my cousin’s 30th Birthday Party – a masked ball theme. It was a great party and lovely to see the family again.

Unfortunately, I stayed up too late last night and today – Sunday, I woke up just in time to get into the city for Poets with Passion – a spoken word event which took place in a Moroccan restaurant.

It has been a good and busy week.

And my new Writing Magazine was delivered, I managed to read some articles and the opportunity pages, I am still reading the February issue.

I have also enjoyed some time reading this week too. Have a pile of books awaiting reading.

I had completely forgotten MARCH is the Slice of Life Challenge Month – where bloggers post a daily slice as opposed to a weekly one…
I think the 3 Day Catch Up post may heavily feature on mine – we will see.

Come join in the fun!

Day 1 – 1st March Saturday

No pinching or punching today – which is good, just sleeping mainly!

Spent the afternoon and evening with friends, our first house guests. Very impressed with my friend’s daughter who taught herself to play chess in the time it took me to collect a Take Away!

Day 2 – 2nd March Sunday

Nothing was planned for a super lazy Sunday, good job too because after I let friends out of the house I went back to bed and fell asleep… until the next one left (to go and have Sunday dinner!) I struggled to stay awake but attempted it and despite having a paperwork mountain to climb, decided that I needed a rest and spent the evening chilling out with Mr G.

Day 3 – 3rd March Monday

My Writing Day – turned into a Wacky Races version of paperwork gathering as I called, emailed and tantrum-ed over missing paperwork, made visits to town branches of banks and by teatime had NEARLY found all the missing documents. Spent what seemed like the whole day completing forms for the solicitors (selling my apartment)…. unfortunately as I was in town I couldn’t by pass the shops without a quick look, it started with the essential toiletries (to make me feel like I had been shopping, whilst at the same time being grown up, thrifty and sensible!) and then I looked for a dress in the SALES for a party this weekend. Then I saw a few bargains and snapped a few up… and so the story goes on and on up the High Street – I must have spent a third of my weekly wages!

I have the party-wear and accessories sorted (masked ball) – I have all the essential bathroom bits – I have some new weekend wear and a new poetry dress. (No one item cost more than £14 and many were a few pounds…) I used to shop weekly and now I cannot remember the last time I did… anyway it is done and I don’t wish for store credit and as all items were SALE price that’s all I would get!

It was fun and a good arm workout for the walk home.

In the evening we went to visit a very excited 7 year old – Mr G’s Godson, who was full of Birthday beans – we spent an hour or so with the family and then came home to collapse in heaps! I was asleep by 10pm and had an early night ready for work today.

Day 4 – 4th March Tuesday

Before work at 7 am – I was up, showered and already sending emails to estate agents, housing associations, solicitors and authors.

I went to work (first frozen morning in a while) – I love Tuesdays as I get to work 1 to 1 and whole class and work with 4 up to 9 year olds. A great mix day. Most of it is Music too- creative and fun. I spent every minute of my break chasing calls from emails and half of my dinner time in my inbox and most of the rest of it on the phone.
By this evening I had all the necessary gaps filled in the solicitors forms which are now ready to take in along with my evidence tomorrow.

We had pancakes for Shrove Tuesday – the first one in this house! I cooked dinner did a ton of chores and ran out of time to exercise (or write) – there is always tomorrow…. it is going to feel SO GOOD dropping this paperwork off!

Happy Shrove Tuesday/ Pancake Day… we have just (I know it is a bit late) made, cooked and eaten the BEST pancakes EVER! And the first Mr G and I have had in our new home together! Awwwww! We have some batter mix left and look forward to an extra treat tomorrow night. We had 2 each but they were cooked in my big pan and proper crepe size!

I used to have pancake parties and invite friends over, create a table of fillings and have massive sugar rushes! We kept it simple this year – just plain sugar and lemon juice, eating standing up in our own lovely kitchen!
It is the little things!

I sold the apartment last week and instructed my solicitors – following several phone calls I received the paperwork over the weekend, I had a quick look, 3 forms and a letter all looked simple enough. We had plans for the weekend (plans which I messed up by sleeping through most of it!) after Friday night and post WORD UP adrenalin I climbed into bed at 2 a.m to be fair I was working on several submissions when I got in and in the end gave up and decided the 1st March deadlines could be met on Saturday! The lesson I carry forward is; ‘DO NOT put off for tomorrow what can be done today.’NOT that I could have stayed up but I could have written and submitted some pieces weeks before the deadline instead of minutes before!

As it happened we had plans for the afternoon and I slept until 3PM (oppps) showing up several hours late to meet friends and start our Saturday evening…. our first house guests and it was great (we had Amy to stay from Australia, days after we moved in – but of course that was different because we had just landed and the place wasn’t very homely and full of boxes) now there are still boxes but you can see the carpet. It isn’t really ready – but close family and friends come for us not creature comforts and high end style (good job really) – we had a great evening.

I didn’t make the 1st March deadlines. But there will be others.

On Sunday I planned to crack on with the paperwork. Once again my plans were foiled by sleep! I hadn’t had any me time/ down time all weekend – so I did that instead with what was left of late afternoon Sunday and evening.

Yesterday was my only day off this week and I spent the ENTIRE day (almost) completing paperwork for the solicitors. Some of the form filling is straight forward but I have missing paperwork…. it took yesterday afternoon and all of today chasing emails, phone calls and visiting branches of banks personally to collate all the evidence needed for the solicitors.

I need this sale to move swiftly and so far there has been a week between instructing them and completing my 1st batch of paperwork. The good news is things are moving on the other side too. Fingers crossed it will be as smooth and quick as possible!

That is the 2nd week I have lost my writing day – I had the good news of the SALE last Monday and then spent the day checking out legal firms etc.

This week there are a few things in the writing diary – that after my February experience I will NOT ignore. I may have to wait until tomorrow night and Friday to tackle them.

I have a booked slot (arranged in February) at the Ort on Thursday evening (Open Mic) and then another Poet’s for Passion event in the city on Sunday.

Schools are also celebrating WORLD BOOK DAY, I have an anthology deadline to hit BEFORE the weekend, a cousin’s 30th Birthday Party (a masked ball) at the weekend too. I managed to find a suitable dress and some masks yesterday whilst I was in town at the Bank – what luck!

There are several poetry events I am missing this week – The Poetry Lounge in The Sitting Room are meeting in Ludlow again (I will go back when the night’s are lighter!), The Grizzly Pear is on again this week (but it clashes with the Ort) – I missed last month’s Ort to clashes and have already had my slot booked.

I am also thinking about suitable plots for a short story.

My brain is well and truly full…. will literally be a weight off my mind when I have handed all my documents over to the solicitors.

I was merrily posting this as a SOLC when I realised that last year I discovered TWO WRITING TEACHERS blog from a month long slice challenge – it was March, it IS March and they are all 4 days in… going to play catch up and try it.

SLICE OF LIFE CHALLENGE – it is ages since I submitted a SOLC, I am attempting to get back to the Blog challenges I haven’t had time for over the next Month or so, I miss them and all the bloggers involved in them.

It has been so long they have this new and juicy logo! It’s active, so click away if you want to find out about this weekly challenge from TwoWritingTeachers.

Last week I finished work for a week, celebrated Mr G’s birthday and Valentine’s (kind of) and I had an unscheduled break from the world of writing, 6 whole days, 4 of which with no internet/laptop usage at all!

Detoxed, well read and well slept, I am ready for the world again and just as well, after looking in my writing diary this morning I am reminded of the busy week ahead. This is half term week, so at least I can balance life/writing without having to factor in work as well!

Thursday Night, Mr G’s birthday – we went to my brother’s bar in Birmingham for a Comedy Night – it was fantastic, lots of spots, lots of side splitting material and abundant talent – by the end of the night I wanted to change career path (again) and go into Stand Up…. I have funny yarns to weave! It was great chatting to the performers and it is fair to say Mr G enjoyed his night tremendously!

He has the wisdom (of age 😉 ) to book the next day off. On very little sleep I got up and worked a whole day!

I managed to get home in good time to start celebrating Valentine’s Day I came home to a dozen red roses – deep, deep red – almost blood purple (a colour I just made up) and some Thorton’s treats – personalised chocolate cupcakes & a chocolate heart, as well as a bouquet of lollies, a magazine and a little bit more! SPOILT!

Now, much as we love a Hallmark occasion- and we do, we have long since wised up to restaurants charging double and gave up eating out for V-day years ago. Instead we treat ourselves to a takeaway and a romantic night in.

Well…. I fell asleep in the armchair before 6pm – woke up at 10, very apologetic – warmed up a couple of supermarket takeaway curries and then watched Mr G doze off…. needless to say we have postponed Valentine’s… we are thinking March!

Then came the weekend – now I cannot pass judgement on extending birthdays – I have done it for years… the best, my 21st, 21 days of parties (oh for that stamina now)! We caught up with friends we haven’t seen in a long time (over 12/ 18 months) and had a great day at our local pub.

I slept for 12 hours and the next day had a 3 hour mid-morning nap too! Mr G and I had already declared Sunday as a Duvet Day! I managed to catch up on reading and just relaxed.

I had planned to start working hard yesterday, but slept again until the afternoon, I spent most of the afternoon reading and made it through another novel. I have now started Amy Rainbow’s book and can’t wait to review it for her, it is a great read!

Today has been a wonderfully inspiring mixture of events and coincidences! So much so that I have decided to post this general slice and link the other posts into it.
I have JUST realised it is TUESDAY still – so this qualifies as my SLICE OF LIFE post for this week – I would love to start the ritual of a weekly post again and get time to read other slicers – maybe in the NEW YEAR!

I worked today – I was booked for the morning only – which is a farce because it is always afternoon before you leave. I didn’t get a break and worked through what would have been dinner if I had worked all day – so I did 5.5 hours without food, water or breaks! Small wonder I felt a little aggrieved by the time I left. Not to mention the first lesson was a practical science class and I had no support! The kids were fabulous though and I shouldn’t complain because it is still worlds better than it used to be!

Next came the adventure of collecting my nephew’s birthday gift – which I ordered online on Sunday and was a Click and Collect – ready in store yesterday – but I spent the whole day writing and the evening out at Amy Rainbow’s Book Launch. It took an hour – because I had to go through the store with a basket 1st, there were a few small items I needed to buy including a snood to replace the one I lost last night at the book launch. I collected his gift and had planned to go home via shops in town, but after I had fought the great battle with the self serve tills I had had enough and came home.
I had an hour before another appointment. I spent it online and discovered that Joanna Skelt – the Poet Laureate was organising a Mellow Winter Evening Event at the REP Theatre which started at 5.30pm, I wasn’t sure I would make it in time – but I did.
It was great, a lovely way to break into the evening.

Joanna was fantastic and performed a lot of her jazz inspired/ jazz poetry, Jan Watts (former Laureate) performed her theatrical, funny, less mellow poetry, I had a chance to read a set of my own, Charlie Jordan shared one of hers and other people performed poetry and music, it was a great night.

Afterwards I made my way home via the Frankfurt Christmas Market – I may have some poetry dresses for next year – an inspirational device to make me lose weight! I sampled lots of tasty treats and bought a few gifts before coming home!

A great day and a grand adventure.

PLUS
The Moon tonight was massive and beautiful (I should describe it more poetically) I wanted to snap a picture but was driving on the motorway at the time and couldn’t!

I phoned Recon (venue last night) and THEY HAVE MY SNOOD – it is in lost property… they will keep it safe until I manage to travel over that way – guess I will take my new one back for a refund!

Since the beginning of the month I have been trying to enter into the Christmas Spirit. As always I have left everything to the last minute and must start Christmas Shopping and making holiday plans.
I am trying to squeeze as much work in as possible before the fortnight break at the end of the month. We have family birthdays before Christmas Eve and for the first time EVER Mr G and I are having our first Christmas at home together but we are also hosting the Family Christmas Dinner.
To get me into the Christmas Spirit I have started a Countdown on Social Networks trying to find something Christmassy to write about everyday.

Mr G surprised me last week with an Advent Calendar and we had fun filling them up over the weekend. And now we are sharing the fun of opening them. I have arranged for my youngest nephew (5) to help decorate the tree and room for Christmas, but we don’t do that until 12 days before Christmas, or a little sooner if I am free.

Today I worked in school (this is where the observations kick in) and as with tradition with most schools the decorations go up for the beginning of December – and come down just after the children leave (taking down decs BEFORE Christmas is so depressing!) It was lovely walking in and seeing the brightly decorated Christmas Trees and knitted Nativity Figures, it made me feel happy.
Of course it just makes the kids hyper and excited – especially as they are also learning Christmas songs and rehearsing Nativity Plays and Christmas shows. We have 3 weeks of this… or at least I would have, if I had stayed in my job.

I miss this time of year in School, the team bonding and the joys of the Season. However, I know I made the right decision when I turned down a 4 week contract (before Christmas, with the excitement, extra activities, my own Christmas Prep, writing, book launches, performances etc – there just wouldn’t be time)!

And this led me to thinking… about listening to the wisdom of your inner voice.
Life is too short for you to ignore your calling or waste your talents.
The greatest gift we can give ourselves this Christmas is HONESTY.

When was the last time you really threw yourself into something, heart and soul? In our modern culture, we keep ourselves at a distance from the wholeheartedness that is actually so life affirming.

We seem to feel that if we are not judging others, we are being judged. We fear failure and being seen as stupid. But that keeps us small. Wholehearted people are charismatic and magnetic and challenge us to raise our game.

It has been a while since I left a post for the slice of life challenge – this week is mainly a writing week – I have also needed to work – pretty much 4 days this week so far. And I am already feeling so tired. Originally I had writing events Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I am so tired that I have already decided to stay in tonight and tomorrow, get my set ready for Thursday night at SpeakEasy and also write a poem for Friday’s Stanza meeting. I have already emailed Emma with my workshop poem- ‘Cake Man’. It was written as part as PAD CHALLENGE and I look forward to the workshop in Oxford on Saturday, followed by another poetry performance.

I worked all of last week apart from Monday, and I have worked all week this week – so far I just have the end of this week off and hope to catch up with writing.

This month I am completing 3 challenges – National Novel writing month – NaNoWriMo, Picture book challenge PiBoldMo and PAD (Poetry a Day) challenge run by Writer’s Digest. I am also trying to get organised for some events later in the month.

In the past week I missed several poetry events due to tiredness, many are long drives away and by the time I make it in from work, I have no energy.

I did manage to mark Remembrance Sunday by attending Poetry for Peace.

We also had a lovely time celebrating Guy Fawkes with a little fire and some sparklers in the garden along with pumpkin curry and plenty of neighbouring fireworks to watch.

I am loving life and making the most of this giant leap of faith I have made. I have mainly been working for this past fortnight, taking as much as I can before the next holiday in 5 weeks!

This is my entry for Slice of Life Challenge hosted by TwoWritingTeachers – follow the link and savour accounts of weeks from around the world. Take part – add a slice of your own.

Enjoy!

It seems I only have the time to join the slicers every fortnight or so (and I thought going freelance would give me more time) seems – whenever life does this you fill the time with other things!

I do love only having school work 1 night a week – as opposed to every night and all weekend though!

Since the end of the Literature Festival I thought I would have more time and energy but think I am in recovery! Zapped of energy and full of tiredness, I battle on.

I have managed to get a lot of work over these past few weeks and have also managed a few lazy days over the weekends (thanks to bad weather – had it been dry Mr G and I would have been kept busy harvesting the allotment).

We have at least managed to get out into the garden and plant roses and other things for Spring flowers.

Writing wise I have only managed 1 day in the past 16 to write and most of that was filled with admin tasks. I am currently busy putting the finishing touches to INKSPILL – our online writing retreat this weekend, pop over to the blog and find out what it is all about – read the full programme here… INKSPILL

I have attended my 2nd Poetry Stanza meeting and received some constructive feedback to strengthen my work. I have also arranged two open mic spots this week, the first is tomorrow night in Stratford Upon Avon at the Emmapress book launch for their latest anthology of ‘Mildly Erotic Poetry’ and also at the Spoken Word Open Mic event in Birmingham on Thursday evening.

I am very excited and even treated myself to a new stage outfit (in the Sales) … when I popped out to buy us lunch, milk and bread on Saturday lunch time and came home late afternoon after several hours trying on clothes, our lunch, no milk (ironically it was too heavy) and 4 bags of frozen food to stock up our new chest freezer (delivered on Thursday)!

I am lucky I can still type after giving my arms such a weighty workout!

Next week is half term *a week off to WRITE< WRITE>WRITE – yeahhaaa… It is also my Great Aunt’s birthday, celebrations this weekend and Halloween of course – gutted that the only fancy dress party we were invited to we cannot attend – due to double booking – we are off to see Mark Lanegan – for the second time! Last time was a tiny venue and we were front row – it was truly amazing- so when we heard he was playing again, we jumped on tickets!

That’s about all for this slice, I hope to find time over the next week to read yours – enjoy your own slices of pie.

I woke up this morning and thought how strange it was that my birthday was a whole month ago – it feels like I am living a completely different life than that of the summer!

Time is fleeting quickly though and I have so much more I want to achieve this year.

Winter has definitely arrived in the past week, we have gone from flip flops and sun-tops straight to woolly cardigans, coats and boots, it won’t be long until I start wearing my brilliant hat and scarf combo, bought in Poland in February. I would prefer to have an autumn though and acclimatise gradually!

A week ago I got my first call for (possible) work, I had to go for a mini interview and take a class, the contract would mean missing a poetry workshop I have booked onto for part of the Literature Festival, after a quick conversation with Mr G I agree to the challenge, the work will pay the mortgages for October.

I spent half a day preparing resources and plans for Friday. I also managed to get my hands on the latest copy of my writing magazine, fortunately I phoned the newsagents and reserved one – it was there last copy.

I had the interview – and wasn’t picked for the job, this was fortuitous, firstly I can attend my workshop and secondly they have met me and seen me in action now, hopefully more work will come my way. And if it does I will know my route! And after the summer off it got me over that hurdle of ‘can I do this anymore?’ YES! I can and WILL!

Then it was the– every weekend between now and mid October is booked up with events! This weekend saw my old hometown celebrate the Annual SaltFest – a festival of local community and business. Which included a book launch of a poet I only discovered this week – how’s that for timing?!

Mr G and I usually like to potter around the craft and food stalls and soak up the atmosphere of the day (now a whole weekend event) – however, Saturday morning I received an Arts Programme in the post and as I read through the brochure a Writers’ Network Meeting jumped out at me as they had Simon Thirsk (Bloodaxe Books) speaking. It was in Oswestry (Shropshire), close to the Welsh boarder. I have driven through it plenty of times and didn’t think it was too far away!

Well it was … a 2 hour drive, a fantastic afternoon – which you can read all about here and then after the 2 hour drive home I went to an amazing book launch of Sarah James’ second collection. It was a great night. Beyond book launch

By the end of Saturday I had met more writers than I can count on both hands and stumbled/ pushed through two new opportunities, one of which may lead (eventually) to paid employment!

It was such a buzz, surrounding myself with creative individuals.

On Sunday there was another writing event, I decided to give it a miss as I have made my decision to focus on poetry and the other event was more focussed on reading and novel writing.

Besides we had to do all the things I hadn’t done on Saturday as I chose to spend the whole day at events.

We picked sweetcorn, beans, cucumbers and beetroot from the allotment. And last night Mr G and I cooked our first ever allotment grown Winter Squash, a stuffed squash recipe that was gorgeous and we had sweetcorn on the side, I think my tummy has only just gone down!

This week I have more applications and interviews, lots to do on the house, we have finally managed to order a freezer we have been after for a month and so need to get space organised (and painted!)

I have also got some submissions to make, poetry to write and a short story to attempt to write. In addition to this I am still organising INKSPILL (online writing retreat 25- 27th Oct) and hoping for some paid work.

‘Money will flow…’

The estate agents have shown a fair few people around, however the apartment is still waiting for an offer to be made by anybody! That sale will fund my mortgage and help me panic less about money issues!

Today has been such a busy day – I would get yourself a drink (and a biscuit) before you start to read this.

Last Friday I started to sort work life out and as with most people – this involves a whole paper trail when starting somewhere new. Over the weekend CV’s and emails were all sent efficiently and fast via technology, then last night I received the ‘what I need to take’ with me today and I started the paperwork treasure hunt. We moved house and I still have a few (understatement) boxes to unpack and most paperwork from the past few months was not so much filed as stuffed into a few folders.

So this morning I got up early and continued the search followed by more work online. I also phoned my old place of work – they were all back there today and it felt really strange to speak to them and not see them. I sent an email.

I also received a parcel (I love getting post and it is one thing I miss from pre- e-mail days) to be fair I placed a book order on Amazon whilst completing some writing research, I was taken in by an advert banner and a 1p book! I hadn’t expected to receive any until the 6th at the earliest so it was a nice surprise! I hadn’t got time to open it as I was getting ready as it arrived.

This afternoon I had an interview, after which I went to check my apartment (which is on the market) and collect lots of post. I also found some unwanted guests of the arachnid variety. I went to the Estate Agents to find out the latest on marketing of my property and discussed this week’s viewings (of which there is only 1).

Then I called a friend – who moved to my old town just as I moved out and we met for a soft drink in the sun! Then I went for a walk in the park en route to my Gran, who I had called earlier from the flat. She has one of those spider removing gadgets (it doesn’t harm them) and as I have no ladders or feather dusters in the apartment anymore and all the spiders were in the corners of the ceiling I needed some help. I saw some other members of my family who were over with my Gran and after catching the spiders, I (eventually) came home!

I had missed most of the sun in the garden as it was near 7pm when I got home. Mr G and I went up to the garden anyway to peel potatoes and top and tail home-grown French beans. The sky was amazing, a beautiful sunset and pink clouds.

Yesterday I made my first ever crumble (which I thoroughly enjoyed doing) – I knew where my kitchen apron was, I don’t know where important certificates and my passport is, both of which I use more regularly than a kitchen apron, in fact I bought it 3 years ago and have worn it 3 times and one of those was on a food tech course! Our neighbours are lovely and in exchange for some of our cucumbers, we have had cooking apples, blackberries and yellow plums. The apples and blackberries made a wonderfully tasty crumble, which took three days to get around to cooking. Tonight I had the pleasure of Mr G cooking tea with all our allotment ingredients – beautiful, I love this new, simple life!

I am also busy writing a short story and this has inspired me to create some HOW TO posts which have been linked on many other blogs, which is flattering. A big thank you to all who posted related article links or commented on how useful these posts were.